Just In Case
by imagination-running
Summary: When Gobber arrives at the Edge with unprecedented urgency, rushing Hiccup back home to Berk with only dire warnings and no explanations, all of the Riders know that nothing will ever be the same. Post RTTE season 4, pre-HTTYD 2. One-shot.


Just In Case

A/N: Just a plot bunny that wouldn't go eat the carrots from anyone else's garden, so here I am feeding it my entire harvest. I've got some Hiccstrid fluff, some father/son bonding, and some growing pains thrown in for good measure. I hope you like it. Set after RTTE season 4.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

THUD! CLONK! STOMP!

"Hiccup!"

CLONK! STOMP! CLONK! STOMP!

Hiccup stopped midsentence as the rushed uneven gait of his former trade master approached the Clubhouse door. He turned just in time to see Gobber make his entrance, winded from rushing from Grump's landing spot. "Gobber? What ar-″

"Hiccup!" Gobber gasped, bracing his hand on his knee and his prosthetic hand on the doorframe. "Saddle up. Yur needed a' Berk - now."

Hiccup bent down to look Gobber in the face. "Gobber. What…What's going on? What are you talking about?"

Gobber straightened, his breathing finally under control. He placed his good hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "It's yur dad, lad. Yeh mus' go now."

Hiccup's mind blanked. Fear unfurled in his chest like a crawling ivy. "But…But the Edge…the Riders…"

Gobber's hook cupped Hiccup's other shoulder. The older man looked his protégé in the eye. "Lad. Yeh mus' go. Unleash tha speed o' tha' Nigh' Fury an' go."

Hiccup knew Gobber better than almost anyone else in his life. Gobber was rarely this serious about anything. The vines of fear curled in his stomach and up his throat. He gave the man a shaky nod and turned to grab a canteen and bag of necessities that they kept packed for such times as this.

The other riders had been silent during the exchange, but as Hiccup took an emergency bag from the crate, Astrid pulled him into a tight hug. He returned it in earnest. He could feel himself trembling. She pulled him tighter. "Whatever it is, we'll be behind you all the way. Fly fast, but fly safe," she whispered. He held her a moment longer and forced down the mounting terror, and his shakiness eased a bit.

Hiccup still couldn't speak past the lump in his throat, so he met her eyes as he pulled back and gave her a nod and a final squeeze of her hands before jogging to the door where Toothless was waiting. Fishlegs was giving the saddle and rigging a final check. Snotlout held out a second canteen of water. Hiccup took it, nodded to his friends, and slipped onto his dragon's back. He clipped the restraints onto the saddle and gave them a quick tug to be sure they were secure.

Then, Gobber approached him once more. "Prepare yerself as yeh fly, Hiccup," the blacksmith imparted, his voice lower than normal but still loud enough to carry to the Riders behind them. "Th' next time yeh return here, it may be as th' chief visitin' an outpost."

Hiccup heard a quiet gasp from someone but he couldn't be sure who. The ivy threatened to strangle him, and he swallowed thickly, his eyes burning, his chest tight and constricted. He gripped the saddle, locked eyes on the horizon, and nudged Toothless with his heel. The night fury was up in an instant, and within minutes, Dragon's Edge was just a dot on the ocean behind him.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Hiccup wasn't even out of sight yet when Astrid rounded on Gobber. "What happened, and what do we need to do?"

Gobber sighed, and his shoulders slumped. A weariness settled over him that hadn't been there just a moment before, and that scared Astrid more than anything else because if Gobber had been putting up a front of strength in front of Hiccup, then the situation was even more dire than she had already thought. The man made his way across the Clubhouse and all but fell onto a bench at the fire. After another silent moment where he seemed to be gathering his thoughts, he raised his eyes and roved them over the collected group of young Riders who stood before him awaiting his answer. "Stoick is nearin' his fiftieth year – a ripe, ol' age for a Viking chief an' warrior. He's a big man, too. It puts a lot o' stress on man's heart when he's Stoick's size an' got his duties…" He fell silent for a minute, lost in his thoughts. Then, he looked back up at Astrid. "Gothi says his heart is givin' out on 'im. He was havin' pains an' trouble breathin'. He did nae say anaethin', but I caught 'im rubbin' 'is chest and grimacin' o'couple o' times. I knew som'thin' was up bu' knowin' Stoick as I do, I did nae ask anaethin'."

Fishlegs threw up his hands. "But you should have asked, Gobber! What if Stoick dies? What will Berk do then? What about Hiccup?"

Gobber fixed the blond with a stern look. "Yeh should know by now tha' there's no askin' a Haddock if som'thin' is ailin' 'im. An' besides, there's nuthin' anaeone cou'd o' done. When a man's heart is done, it's done. No healer can change tha work an' will o' th' gods. As for Berk, she'll do as she a'ways has: solider on. As for Hiccup, he'll do wha' he's been brough' up teh do: become chief."

Tuffnut crossed his arms, scratched his chin, and rolled his eyes upwards to the ceiling. "But if Hiccup is being the leader here, how can he be the chief there? Wait! Did he invent a way to be in two places at once? Or is Berk going to move here? Or is the Edge moving to Berk? Or…Wait. I'm confused."

Gobber narrowed his eyes at the twin. "Yeh really did get dropped on yer head as a babe, did'n, yeh?"

Astrid crossed her arms and rolled her eyes. "If Hiccup becomes chief of Berk, then he won't be the leader of the Dragon Riders anymore."

Tuffnut pursed his eyebrows in thought. "Buuttt…then who will be our fearless leader out here?"

"Me! Duh!" Snotlout interjected.

"Ehhh…" Fishlegs squeaked.

Snotlout rounded on him. "What? You think I couldn't be the leader? Because I can. Believe me, Fishface, I can be the leader."

Fishlegs grimaced and tilted his head. "It's just that if Hiccup becomes the chief, then he'll be the one to decide who is the new leader of the Dragon Riders, and since Astrid has always been his second in command, it would probably be her."

Gobber held up a finger. "Ah, abou' that. We're gettin' ahead o' ourselves here. Hiccup's not chief jus' yet, an'-″

"And Stoick may still recover," interrupted Astrid, looking thoroughly flustered and annoyed. "He's the strongest person on Berk, after all, and he's never been one to give up without a fight. We're not going to start planning on our roles under Hiccup's chiefdom when he isn't even chief. What we need to do is to get our gear, and get back to Berk because right now, Hiccup needs his friends. Even if Stoick doesn't…well, you know…then Hiccup is still going to be acting chief while his father recovers. Wings up in an hour, people. Go!"

The four remaining Riders exchanged looks and silently departed for their huts to gather what they needed for a trip to Berk.

Astrid turned to Gobber. "Grump needs to rest, but if you want to go back to Berk with us, you can fly with me or Snotlout."

Gobber inclined his head. "Thank yeh, lass. I'll ride wit' yeh."

Astrid nodded and turned to go gather her things and grab a few of Hiccup's as well.

"Eh, lass?" Gobber called. Astrid looked back at him, and he walked over to her. "If Stoick does…eh…yeh know…Hiccup's life is goin' teh change – a lot an' fast. I know yeh do'nae want teh think about it, but yer a grown woman now. Sumtimes yeh hav' teh do what yeh don' want teh do, an' I know yeh know that. What I'm sayin' is, Hiccup will hav' teh take ah wife, an' I think we all know who he'll be intendin' teh ask. Yeh bes' be thinkin' on yer answer – jus' in case."

Astrid gazed up at him, her face a solemn mask. She met his eyes, and an understanding passed between them. This thing could be the end of all she had ever known and the beginning of all that she didn't feel quite prepared for, but Gobber was trying to give her a few hours to get prepared. It was all he could muster, given the circumstances, and she was grateful. She nodded once and headed for the huts.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Toothless streaked across the sky, a black blur that could have been nothing but a trick of the eye to a person standing on the land and looking at the expanse of heavens. On any normal day, these speeds would have had Hiccup's teeth chattering and body shivering from the cold. As it was, however, he felt neither the cold nor the stinging air resistance. He leaned as far forward as the dragon's riding gear allowed and tucked his mouth and nose against the black hide. His arms were drawn up under his body, making everything as streamlined as possible.

He had one thought: Stoick. He had to get home to his father. He couldn't miss what could be his last opportunity to see his father. He couldn't let his dad enter Valhalla without his closest family by his side.

Hiccup's eyes burned, and he squeezed them tight, pressed his face to Toothless' neck, and took several calming breaths. He couldn't think like that. He didn't even know what was wrong, only that he had to get back to Berk as fast as possible. His dad could very well overcome whatever had happened to him. He had survived long odds before. One particular dragon raid when Hiccup was nine came to mind.

A timberjack had sliced Stoick's side, and a gronkle immediately followed that up with a tail bludgeon to the head that sent his father down a hill and into a burning a house. Spitelout had rushed in and managed to pull him out just as the house collapsed onto itself. His dad had been bed-ridden for over a week. The deep cut across his ribs had gotten infected. The concussion messed with his vision and coordination. His fevers had been high, and Hiccup refused to leave the hut. He stayed in the loft, peering over the edge of the stairs, watching his father toss and turn, moaning and crying out for long-dead friends and family, including Hiccup's mom.

After a week, Hiccup snuck down to get closer to his dad when the Gothi was asleep. His restless father tossed and moaned, and Hiccup laid his tiny child's hand on his father's enormous one. "Dad? Dad. You…you gotta get better, Dad. Gothi…Gothi says…She says she's done all she can. It's…it's up to you and…and…and the gods. I…I took a fish…a big tuna fish up the mountain, and I…I…I let it burn up on that alter like you showed me, and I prayed…and I keep praying and praying. I know I'm not a very good kid, but I love you, Dad…I don't want you to go. You gotta stay, and I promise I'll be good and be right and a Viking like you want. Please, Dad. Stay with me. Don't go to Mom yet."

Hiccup remembered wiping his eyes after that speech, desperate to start being a strong Viking right away. He had been shocked to hear his dad mumble "'Iccup…" Stoick was still asleep or unconscious, Hiccup wasn't sure which, but it was the first time he had heard his dad call for him in all that time. It had given him hope that maybe Stoick had heard him somehow and would keep fighting the sickness. The next day and night were the worst yet, though, and Hiccup had curled into a ball on his bed, crying and begging the gods to spare his father. Somewhere in the wee hours, he awoke to Gobber cheering and praising the gods because Stoick's fever had finally broken, and the man was at last sleeping peacefully. Hiccup had rushed half-way down the staircase where he sat for the rest of the night watching. Gothi and Gobber managed to strip the bed and the man of his sweat-soaked clothes and blankets. They had washed him with cool water and a rag, re-dressed him, and got him settled back on the bed, all without him waking up. Gobber had kept up a constant commentary about how Stoick was in a deep sleep because his body was exhausted from trying to heal itself and that everything was going to be okay. Hiccup knew the blacksmith did it for his benefit.

The memories of that awful time ran through Hiccup's head, and he silently prayed that whatever had befallen his father this time wasn't nearly as serious, that he would be whole and hale in no time. Then again, Gobber would not have rushed him back to Berk as he did if the situation weren't dire. "Just get us home, bud," he murmured into the dragon's scales.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Astrid and the other Riders plus Gobber landed back in Berk late in the evening the following day. They had only taken a couple of short breaks during their flight to give the dragons a chance to rest and the humans a chance to stretch their legs and relieve themselves. They had recently clocked the dragons' individual speeds, and Toothless had impressed them, as always, with just how fast he could streak through the sky. They weren't sure how long he could fly at those speeds, but even if he was going full blast in short, intermittent spurts, he still would have been able to shave off nearly ten hours of flight time going on his own with minimal supplies, according to Fishlegs.

It was well past dark, and Astrid knew she ought to leave finding Hiccup for the morning, but things were different between them now. They were a couple, and she needed to know he had made it safe. More than that, though, she knew he needed her. She left Stormfly in the care of Gobber, bid the others good night, and jogged up the hill to the Chief's hut.

Hiccup was standing on the top step, his fists resting on his hips as he listened to two villagers standing ground in front of him. He looked every bit the chief that he would be one day. Astrid couldn't hear all that the men were telling Hiccup, but she could see the slightest pinch of his mouth and how his eyes were narrowed just so. He wore the same look when solving disputes among the Riders. As she watched, he shifted his weight, putting more on his good leg, and crossed his arms – a sure sign that he was nearing the end of his patience with the complaints. Just as she suspected, he took a breath, rolled his eyes heavenward, and interrupted the two villagers.

"Okay, stop. Now you're just repeating yourselves. Thorn, put all of the sheep in your pen for the night. Erik, tomorrow you two will work together to build a new pen. Thorn, you will house the sheep until the pen is complete. Erik, you will provide Thorn with enough feed for your flock. Thorn, next time make sure your bull yak is secure during mating season because you know they will break down just about anything to get to a female during rut."

The man called Thorn, a young sheep farmer who also had one of the finest bull yaks on Berk, raised his hands in an apparent contest of Hiccup's decision. The man was only a year older than the Riders, newly married, and newly in charge of his family's farm. He was a good man, but he did have a chip on his shoulder and didn't think that Hiccup deserved all of the support that he got from the rest of the village. Dragons had killed his mother and sister years before, and he had never quite gotten past it. Not to mention, he still had four inches and a hundred pounds on Hiccup, and he was never Hiccup's biggest fan, even before the Red Death.

Hiccup, however, was booking no arguments. "Chief's orders, Thorn. Follow them or face the consequences of defying a direct order. Your choice."

Thorn growled and shook his head but still turned to leave. "Chief…He's no chief of mine, not yet anyway. Who does he think he is telling me off?" he grumbled as he passed Astrid.

"HEY!" she called out. Thorn turned to look at her. She took two steps to him and stood right in his face. "Until Stoick is able to resume his duties, Hiccup is the acting chief, and one day sooner rather than later, he will be your permanent chief. You'd best get used to the idea and start showing some respect. Now go help Erik get his sheep in your pen or you'll have me to deal with. Do I make myself clear?" She twirled her axe casually at her side.

Thorn's eyes widened as he watched the axe swish through the air. "Uhh…Ye-Yeah. Got it."

Astrid narrowed her eyes at him, reminded of why a man for all his size, talk, and noise was a simple sheep farmer rather than a warrior. "Good. Now, go."

The man took off like a dog with its tail between its legs. Astrid watched until he disappeared over the side of the hill then turned back to the Haddock hut. Hiccup was still on the step watching her. "You didn't have to do that, you know," he said as she mounted the stairs.

She pulled him towards her and answered, "Yes, I did." Then, she pressed her lips to his in greeting before he could even try to respond. "How's your dad?" she asked as they pulled apart a moment later.

Hiccup sighed, and his shoulders fell. "It's best if we talk inside."

He gripped her waist and pulled her through the door. It was dim inside the hut, only a low fire in the pit and a lantern in cooking area lit the place. Stoick was reclined on a pile of furs on his bed along the side wall. A woolen blanket was pulled up over his chest. Even from where she stood at the door, Astrid could see that he was pale and his breaths coming in quick, shallow gasps. He looked asleep, but for all she knew, he could have been unconscious. Hiccup ushered her to a bench and set a mug of mead and a plate of roasted boar, bread, and gravy before her before going to check on his dad. The chief's fiery beard had been twisted into fat rolls around his jaw and chin to give the healers easy access to his bare chest. Hiccup pulled down the blanket and placed his hand against it, counting the beats of the heart within, Astrid assumed. Then, he hovered the back of his hand over Stoick's slightly parted lips and stood still counting the breaths. He stopped long enough to write down the data on a piece of parchment. Then, he checked Stoick's bare toes and fingers, and finished the examination by rubbing a strong-smelling ointment on his father's chest before covering the man again.

After all was completed, Hiccup returned to the table and sat beside Astrid on the bench. "Gothi and her apprentice have been here with him non-stop since the spell began," he started. "I watched them ever since I returned this morning and sent them home for some much-needed rest. They'll be back at first light, Gothi promised. Until then I have to check on him every hour, record my observations, and if anything happens good or bad, I'm supposed to send that little terror named Bonesaw to Gothi immediately." He gestured to the hearth where sure enough a green and yellow terrible terror was curled up next to Toothless fast asleep.

"Bonesaw?" Astrid inquired as she soaked up the gravy with her bread.

The corner of Hiccup's mouth twitched upwards for the briefest moment, and the line between his brows softened a fraction. "She has like ten of those that live with her and send her messages. I think she left that particular one on purpose."

Astrid ate quietly for another minute as she observed her boyfriend. He was tired. The pinch of his eyebrows and tense set of his shoulders spoke volumes to her of his worries. "What's the prognosis?" she asked carefully.

Hiccup shrugged and sighed. "Gothi isn't optimistic. He has improved since he first collapsed, but the improvement has been slight. He's in and out, never really unconscious, but never really awake and alert, either. When he gets agitated, his pulse and breathing gets way too fast, and he has no stamina. It's happened twice today. He hears things, but since he's so out of it, he doesn't register them right, I guess. He starts trying to get up and do things. We try to keep him down and calm, but he doesn't understand. That makes him angry, which doesn't help at all, but five minutes into the whole thing, he's panting, sweating, shaking from exertion, and in a boneless heap in his bed. He…he just seems so confused and…weak…nothing like Stoick the Vast. He claws at his chest sometimes, whimpering and grimacing. Gothi has been giving him something for pain that is supposed to help him rest, too, which probably explains some of his confusion, but she says that everything else is up to him…and the gods."

Hiccup looked like a completely different person from who had been mediating a dispute between Thorn and Erik only minutes ago. Then, he had been sure, firm, and confident. Now, he was exhausted, despondent, and scared. Astrid wrapped her boyfriend into a tight hug.

Hiccup buried his face in her neck, clinging desperately to her, as if she were his only anchor. "What if…what if he doesn't make it, Astrid?" he whispered. "I…I need him. He can't just…just die!"

There was something fragile and broken in his voice that made Astrid's eyes prick with tears. She pulled him closer and rubbed his back. "He's Stoick the Vast Haddock. He's been our chief for nearly 30 years. He's seen us through dragons, Alvin, Dagur, famines, drought, fires, floods, blizzards, disease, and the gods know what else. He's strong, fierce, brave, and stubborn. He's sat by your bedside, begging the gods to spare your life, believing you could make it when others in the village were planning your funeral. He's beaten the odds before, or so the rumors say. You have to believe he'll make it, but even if…even if it's his time, you've still got me – and the Riders and Gobber and dozens of others."

Hiccup made hardly any sounds besides shuddering breaths, but Astrid could feel wet drops falling onto her neck, slipping under her collar. Hiccup said nothing but continued to cling to her, and Astrid held him. He was the strongest person she knew. He could face dangerous dragons, vengeful enemies, and entire armadas of blood-thirsty Vikings and not bat an eye. Faced with the prospect of losing his father, though, and he was in tears and quaking.

There was a hefty amount of trust and privilege being extended to her, she knew, because Hiccup could bury his feelings better than anyone else. He would never let just anyone see him like this. Even in his most fearful moments, he held himself together, stood there and led people. He didn't show weakness. Now, though, with her, he slumped against her, let her hold him, and cried on her shoulder. He openly spoke of his fear, admitted that he needed his father, and let her be strong for him.

At last, Hiccup's hold loosened, and he took a few calm breaths. He reached up and cupped her face in his palms and kissed her gently. He pulled back, and rested his forehead on hers with his eyes closed. "Thank you, milady," he softly spoke. He leaned back from her, his hands falling to slip into hers, and he looked over at his father and sighed. "You're right, you know," he began. "He has beaten the odds before – more than once, actually. He was sick once, before I was born. Gobber said it was a close call, and then he was injured in a dragon raid when we were nine. I've been thinking about that time a lot today. He almost died, then, too, and when we were seven, he went to the Thing. When he got back, he was never quite the same. That was when classic angry Stoick really took over. He was hurt. I never found out what happened, but his arm and neck were bandaged for a while. He didn't sleep well and was worried a lot – kinda paranoid, looking back. He talked to Gobber and some of the other men, and I heard something about a fire and others being killed. I guessed he barely escaped with his life, but I never asked."

Astrid squeezed Hiccup's hand. "See? Strong. Stubborn. He'll make it. I know it in my gut."

He offered her a small smile, seeming far more at ease than he had when she first got into the hut. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could utter a sound, there was a loud knock on the door. "Hiccup, laddie, yeh awake?" came the none too quiet voice of Gobber.

Stoick started mumbling and tossing his head, clenching his fists. "Crap!" Hiccup scrambled to get to his dad as the door creaked open, and Gobber stumped into the hut. Astrid rushed over to help Hiccup keep his dad calm. When she got there, Stoick's eyes were open but unfocused and hazy with confusion. "Dad, calm down. It's just Gobber coming to check on you," Hiccup spoke. His voice was calm and firm. He pressed one hand on his father's shoulder and the other on his wrist trying to keep the mountain of a man in his bed. Astrid went to the other side and did the same. It was doing no good, though.

Stoick grunted and struggled against them, trying to shake them off. "Ger'off me! Ge' off! Got chiefin' teh do. Le' me up, yeh foul schemers!" He continued to demand his release and thrashed against them.

Gobber's distinct clunk, stomp, clunk, stomp pounded towards them. He pressed up beside Astrid, nudging her out of the way. "Le' me, lass." She stepped around to help Hiccup on the other side.

Hiccup was pushing his father down. "Come on, Dad. It's me, Hiccup, and Astrid and Gobber. You've got to calm down. We're trying to help."

Stoick wasn't having any of it. Whatever he thought was going on was only serving to make him more agitated. With a roar, he broke free of Hiccup's grip and backhanded his son. Hiccup stumbled and fell onto the floor hard. He cried out as his elbow landed hard on the wooden planks.

"HICCUP!" Astrid yelled, looking over at him.

Hiccup's eyes widened, and he reached towards her. "Duck, Astrid!" he hollered.

She instinctively did as he ordered and glanced up in time to see Stoick's meaty hand flying above her head, and she had had enough. "STOICK HADDOCK! CEASE THAT FIGHTING THIS INSTANT!" She grabbed his hand as it flew by again, yanked it down to the bed, jumped onto the man's chest, and pressed him back onto the slats.

Stoick was shocked into stillness. Just like Hiccup had said, though, he was pale and panting. She could feel his arms trembling. His eyes were opened wide, and after a moment they cleared and focused on her. Realization dawned on his face, and his mouth dropped open. Gobber still had a hand on his friend's shoulder. Hiccup had managed to get back up and come over to his other side. Astrid, still trying to catch her own breath, never broke eye contact with Stoick. "Now," she began calm and quietly, "I am going to get down, and you are going to stay still. Agreed?"

Stoick nodded, and with Hiccup's help, Astrid climbed off the man's chest.

"Yeh sat on me," Stoick pointed out, breathless.

Astrid straightened her skirt and looked at her chief. The whole thing was entirely undignified and practically scandalous, regardless of the circumstances, but she didn't regret it because it worked. "I did," she agreed, her voice even and firm.

"Why?" he asked. He still sounded too weak, and it was unnerving.

Astrid, however, kept her face straight as she answered. "Because, in your delirium, you hit Hiccup. You were out of control, and something had to be done."

"Hiccup's here?"

Hiccup stepped up beside Astrid and came into his father's line of sight. His left cheek was already darkening and swollen, but he gave no indication that it was bothering him. "Yeah, I'm here, Dad. Gobber came and got me. He's here, too. We're just taking care of things while you get better."

Stoick's eyes were starting to cloud over, again, but he was still calm. "I hit you?" He sounded near tears at the thought, and Astrid decided this was a good time to get a mug of water for the man.

She took the mug from the side table, which she assumed was Stoick's and went to refill it. She could hear Hiccup answer as she dipped the cup into the water barrel. "I've had worse, Dad. It's nothing to worry about."

"Yer boy's fine, Stoick," came Gobber's brogue. "It's yerself yeh need teh be worried abou'. I have nae seen yeh this pale an' shaky since yer weddin' day," he joked, trying to dispel some of the nervous tension, no doubt.

Astrid was back to the group by this time. She handed the mug to Hiccup. "Here, Dad. Astrid brought you some water. Gothi will have both our heads if I don't make sure to get some down you. We can't leave the village in that kind of lurch, so come on." He pressed the mug to his father's lips, and Stoick reached up to try to help hold the cup.

A bit of water dribbled into his beard, but Astrid watched gratefully as her chief took several swallows of the water. He grimaced, though, as he pushed the mug away and tried to covertly rub his chest. After a second, though, he patted it instead. "Did yeh cut my beard off?" he demanded, a hint of the normal Stoick breaking through.

"Ain't nobody in this village tha' stupid, Stoick. Yer beard is still there, jus' rolled up out o' th' way. Ye ge' better, and yeh can groom it teh yer heart's content," answered Gobber as he stepped away from his friend to sit on a stool beside the bed.

Astrid took the mug back to the table and sat down. Hiccup had brought out a small jar and stood beside his father uncorking it. "Time for your next dose of elixir, Dad." Stoick half-heartedly glared at the jar. "Gothi's orders," Hiccup added. At that Stoick complied. "It'll make you sleepy, but Gothi said rest is what you need most," Hiccup continued as he pulled the blanket back up for Stoick after the medicine had been administered.

Stoick nodded and closed his eyes, his energy spent anyway, and Astrid patted the bench beside her. Hiccup pulled a notebook from the mantle and took her invitation. He pulled out a piece of parchment and charcoal pencil. "Are you writing Gothi?" Astrid asked.

"Yeah. She said to let her know if anything happened. That's the most alert he's been all day."

"Do you think she'll come check on him?"

Stoick's snores were already filling the air. Gobber lumbered over to shelf beside the water and mead barrels in the corner. He found a bowl and filled it with the last of the roast and gravy, snatched the last of the bread, and came to sit with the pair. "I doub' it, lass. So lon' as Stoick ain't gettin' worse, she'll leave him to rest 'til mornin'," he answered as Hiccup finished his note and tied it to the Bonesaw's leg.

Astrid watched as Hiccup took the terror to the door, instructed it, and sent it into the night. He found a final mug and filled it with mead before returning to the table, setting the mug before Gobber. "Tanks," Gobber said around a mouthful of roast.

Hiccup sighed and sat down rubbing his elbow. Astrid took his arm from him and removed the arm bracer, pushed the sleeve up past the offended joint, and inspected it.

"How is it?" Gobber asked, watching the interaction.

"It's fine," Hiccup declared, pulling his arm back towards him.

"Bruised," corrected Astrid as she released his arm and turned his head towards her. "It'll be sore for a couple of days, but no lasting damage. This cheek, though, needs some ice."

She stepped out the back door to the ice box and chiseled off a small chunk of ice. She returned in time to hear Gobber say, "As long as I don't have teh make yeh any more body parts."

Hiccup weakly chuckled. "I don't think there's any need to worry about that." He took the proffered cloth-wrapped ice block from Astrid and pressed it to his swollen cheek with a hiss. He looked over at her as she sat down again. "Thanks."

She smiled at him. "Someone has to take care of you," she answered airily. "So what do we do, now?"

Gobber slurped his mead, banged the mug onto the table, and belched. Hiccup quirked his eyebrows at the bleary-eyed man in amusement before shifting his gaze back to her. "Well, you need to get home for the night. I've got too much going on right now to take on an offended, suspicious Arvald Hofferson, too. I'll be up watching Dad and making hourly checks on him, and Gobber-″

A thud interrupted him. They both turned to see the blacksmith fast asleep beside his empty bowl. His mug was on its side, apparently pushed over by his hand.

"And Gobber will sleep here, it seems," Hiccup finished lamely.

Astrid leaned forward and cupped Hiccup's unwounded cheek in her hand. "Are you sure you don't need me to stay?"

Hiccup dropped his hand with the ice and leaned into her touch, his visage relaxing completely for a moment. He opened his eyes and met hers. "I'm sure. Your mother was here earlier and made sure to mention that she looked forward to having you sleeping under their roof tonight. I promised her that you make it home."

Astrid closed the distance between them and kissed him softly. Cold fingers slipped under her braid and gently held the back of her neck. She shivered partly from his chilled hand and partly from the pleasure of him simply kissing her and touching her skin. It was addictive and under different circumstances, she would have loved to keep the moment going, but Gobber was snoring across from them at the table. Stoick was snoring and ill in bed across the room, and she was expected at home. Reluctantly, she pulled back from his soft lips. He sighed and stroked the nape of her neck. "I should go," she whispered.

Hiccup hummed in agreement and stood with her. "Do you want me to walk you home?" he asked as they stepped onto the stoop outside.

She shook her head. "Your dad needs you. There's a full moon. I'll be fine. Besides, my parents' hut is just right down there," she answered, pointing to a hut just down the row at the bottom of the hill. She gave him one more hug. "I'll be back in the morning. You try to get some rest tonight, too."

Hiccup pulled back and nodded. "I'll try. Sleep well, Astrid."

She smiled at him and headed to her family's hut.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

The next few days for Hiccup were mostly a blur of activity. He spent his days as acting chief, settling disputes and caring for the village as best as he knew how. When he wasn't being his father's substitute, he was either passing along instructions for the Riders to Astrid or at his father's bedside tending to his needs.

Gothi and her apprentice were in and out of the hut every day. Stoick's lucid moments were few, far between, and short-lived. Improvement was slow – agonizingly slow at times. Gothi insisted on a special diet of limited lean meat, vegetables, water, and more water. He was only allowed mead twice a day. Instead of honey-sweetened bread, he was given apples and berries. The diet was strict, but the healers made it very clear that Stoick needed to eat lighter foods because the heavy foods were what hurt his heart. Stoick argued angrily that that kind of thinking didn't even make sense because food went in his stomach, not his heart. Hiccup tried to remind him that when dragons ate eels, their minds and whole bodies became sick, so it did make some sense. Not to mention, Gothi was the elder of the village and the best healer to boot. If she said a new diet would help, then the chief would be wise to comply. It hadn't gone over well, but in the end, Stoick ate what was given to him, albeit with grumbling and irritation.

Hiccup sent the Dragon Riders back to the Edge after about a week. Astrid was none too pleased about leaving him at Berk, but she went with the stipulation that she would be back soon to check on him. Hiccup agreed, and the day after they left, he announced that the Dragon Academy would be reopened to those who wished to train to be Dragon Riders or on the A-team. He started the lessons himself each morning, and then left plans and instructions with Gustav for the rest of the day. By the time Astrid returned the following week, lessons were well under way. She was surprised by the change, but she agreed to take over training for the next few days before she went back to the Edge to prepare the other Riders for the changes that Hiccup was implementing. The trainees had no idea how easy they had had it until they suffered through those three days under Astrid.

By the third week since Hiccup's return, Stoick was able to be up and out of the house for a couple of hours at a time, provided that he didn't do anything remotely strenuous. Hiccup welcomed the news. Even though he had been allowed to spend most of his days out of bed, he had not been allowed out of the house yet. Unfortunately, this meant that Stoick had become more irritable with each passing day, and Hiccup's patience was in extremely short supply. Gothi's prescription of daily exercise and fresh air had Hiccup cheering for far more than just his father's improved health.

"Ah-ha! That's what I've been wantin' teh hear!" Stoick exclaimed, his voice back to its normal booming quality. His pallor was still a bit pale and his cheeks somewhat sunken after his ordeal, but his eyes were bright and alert. Gothi smiled and left the Haddock hut, patting Hiccup's arm as she passed him.

Hiccup thanked the gods for their boon of blessing to Stoick as said man dressed in his pants, tunic, and helmet. "No armor or weapons, Dad. You know what Gothi said, 'Take it easy.'"

"Yer a worry-wart, son," Stoick grumbled as he buckled his belt.

"And leave the cape and paldrons," Hiccup added, ignoring his father's grousing, as Stoick reached for the heavy bear skin.

Stoick murmured under his breath, again, and, again, Hiccup ignored him, choosing to open the door instead. "Your people are waiting, Dad," he said, gesturing for Stoick to exit the hut first. Stoick smiled, took a deep breath, and walked out the door.

Hiccup hadn't been lying. When the pair entered the village plaza, silence fell over the place for a minute as all eyes turned to see their chief for the first time in nearly a month. He stood just as tall and commanding as ever, even without his cape, armor, and weapons. The, a cheer and applause erupted across the whole square. People yelling out their congratulations to their chief for evading death, again. Children rushed to the man, squealing in delight. Men and women ran up to talk to him and wish him well and speak of the prayers they had prayed and the sacrifices they had made on his behalf. Stoick smiled and waved, greeting them as best as he could, walking into the plaza towards the bread stall, eager for a fresh piece of his favorite bread. The man offered it free of charge, and no one noticed when Stoick glanced at Hiccup nor when Hiccup gave a brief nod to his dad. However, they did notice his broad smile and hearty thanks to the baker, and they cheered all the louder.

In no time, an impromptu celebration started up, and the crowds headed to the Great Hall with Stoick and Hiccup in tow. An hour later, the party was in full swing. Music and dancing filled the room. People were laughing and talking with each other. Mead and ale flowed freely. A feast was eventually brought out for the masses. A constant steam of people came to tell Stoick anything and everything, bringing him up to date on the happenings in the village, informing him of Hiccup's efforts as acting chief, asking for advice, and even complaining about fellow villagers. Gobber and Hiccup wasted no time in shoving off the complainers, telling them to deal with the issue themselves or bring it up at another time.

The party showed no signs of slowing, and if anything, when the Riders all made their entrance a few hours later, it only reinvigorated the rest of the villagers. Astrid came pushing through the crowd minutes later and planted herself on the bench beside Hiccup. "I didn't know there was going to be a party," she yelled over the noise.

Hiccup laughed. "Neither did I. Dad got permission to start getting out of the house just today, and we weren't out for more than ten minutes when this happened."

Astrid looked over to where Stoick sat on his large chair. "He's looking tired. How long has this been going on?"

Hiccup looked over and saw that his father was looking exhausted and paler than he had that morning. "Too long for him. He's not supposed to over-do it. I need to get him home, if I can."

"I'll help you," she said as she stood and followed Hiccup to his father. Gobber had long since joined in the celebrations and was too drunk to be of any help at that point.

It took several minutes, but when Astrid got in Stoick's face and reminded him of what had happened the last time he didn't listen to her, he sighed and slowly stood. Unfortunately, he also swayed.

"WHOA, Dad! You weren't supposed to be drinking!"

Stoick shook his head slightly. "I didn't - much. I just got a little light-headed."

Astrid grabbed one arm and Hiccup the other. "Come on. We'll get you home. Toothless!" He called as they started around the table. Ever faithful, the dragon followed the trio as they worked their way across the Great Hall.

By the time they made it outside, Stoick was staggering and panting. Hiccup had him get on Toothless, and he flew his dad back home with Astrid following on foot.

The party lasted long into the night to the point that Hiccup had to finally go break it up and send everyone home. The next day, Stoick barely roused long enough for food and to relieve himself before falling back asleep on his bed.

The day after that saw Stoick out of his hut again, but this time, he was under the strictest of orders from Gothi to not strain himself in any way. So began a new routine where Stoick came out every day for about two hours before returning home for more rest. If a particularly difficult situation arose, Hiccup would bring it up with his father. Otherwise, Stoick spent the rest of his day working on paperwork and puttering around the house at his leisure and often to his boredom. Late in the evening, however, Hiccup and Toothless would accompany him as he took Skullcrusher on a short flight around the island. Recovery was slow, but it was happening to everyone's relief.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Astrid was putting the final three dragon riding recruits through their paces two weeks later. Of the twelve who had joined the class weeks earlier (one of whom was Thorn the sheep farmer, who had lasted all of three days before being sent away by Gustav, surprisingly), they were the only ones who had passed Hiccup and Astrid's standards for being either a Dragon Rider or a member of the A-team. She had fifteen year old Lazyeye Bergman doing twenty laps around the ring on his broomstick dragon when she saw Hiccup land Toothless on the stands outside the Academy. "Gustav, make sure he doesn't slack off. When he's done, you're both free to go," she ordered.

Gustav saluted and took her spot as she ran out of the Academy and up the ramp to Hiccup. "What brings you here, Dragon boy?" she asked, smiling at her boyfriend.

Hiccup took her by the arm and pulled her to him. "Come. Fly with me. Please." He pouted a little, and she laughed and kissed his nose.

"You don't have to beg," she answered as she climbed on behind him.

Moments later they were soaring above Berk. The clouds hid them from view, and Hiccup directed Toothless to fly them on out to a small island just south of Berk. It was no place that hadn't been before, but it had been a couple of years since they had last visited the little spit of land. The tiny island had a small creek that ran through the middle of it and was covered in a small forest of fir trees. Toothless set down on the beach at the edge of the forest, and after the two humans had disembarked from his back, he curled up under the shade of the trees for a nap.

Hiccup took her hand and led her into the forest. There was an old path that led to a clearing near the center of the island that the Riders had used several times for a campout in the past. It was alongside a large pool in the creek, and she knew that's where he was leading her. "What brings us all the way out here?" she asked.

Instead of answering, Hiccup pressed her up against a tree trunk and kissed her. There was nothing soft or calm about the kiss, and she eagerly responded. With how busy they had both been, there had been little time or privacy for anything, much less kissing, but they were clearly going to make up for some of the lost time. _By the gods, he is getting good at this_ , Astrid decided as she let Hiccup explore her mouth with his tongue while her hands explored his frustratingly clothed torso. Maybe she could find some skin around his waistline. A quick search led her to a small strip of smooth flesh between the bottom of his belt and the top of his waistband, and the pleasure of that find was celebration in and of itself for the success. After several minutes – or hours, for all she cared – of kissing and touching and pushing the boundaries further than they ever had before, the two pulled apart, out of breath and rather exhilarated by the experience.

"Gods, I've wanted to do that for forever," Hiccup admittedly breathlessly, a light blush spreading across his cheek.

Suddenly a bit shy, Astrid tucked her chin and glanced at him from under her eyelashes. "Was it all you hoped it would be?"

Hiccup cupped her cheek, and raised her face to meet his earnest gaze. He smiled. "It was better."

Astrid giggled. "Yeah, I think we'll have to do it again sometime."

"We're alone on this little island, and no one knows we're here. Don't tempt me, milady. I'll find it more difficult to stop next time." His voice was husky, and his eyes were dark and twinkling.

Astrid's breath shuddered. "To be honest, I think I would be far too okay with ignoring that problem," she answered in a breathy voice.

Hiccup gave her one more slow kiss before pulling away from her, taking her hand, and helping her steady herself from leaning on the tree trunk. "Then, let's go find that creek and get a drink to cool off."

Five minutes later they were in the clearing drinking deeply from the cool stream. When they had quenched their thirst, they sat down, leaning on a fallen log along the creek bank. The sun was warm but not too much, and a light breeze ruffled their hair. Astrid untied her braid, certain that the little session in the woods had her hair as mussed as Hiccup's. "So did you bring me here just to make out with me or was there something else?" she asked as she combed her fingers through her hair.

He looked at her and ran his fingers through her freed tresses. "Do I need another reason?" he inquired.

"Not as far as I'm concerned," she answered, dividing her hair for braiding, "but I'm sure there would be some people on Berk who would have a far different opinion on the matter, Mr. Future Chief."

Hiccup leaned back on the log and twirled a twig around his fingers. "True, and, as it so happens, I did want to talk to you but without all the listening ears of the village."

"Hmm…" Astrid listened as she worked on rebraiding her hair in a new side style.

"These past weeks have been…stressful, and I…I think that maybe some things need to change," he began.

"What things?" she asked, casting a glance his way.

"Well, I don't think Dad is ever going to be back 100%. I think he'll eventually get close, but even that is going to take a lot longer. I'm needed here to help him out, and well, we've ended the Grimborns reign, mended our alliance with the Berserkers, and made a new ally with Mala and the Defenders of the Wing. I just think that maybe our time out there at Dragon's Edge is coming to a close, as much as I hate the thought of it."

"So you want us to move back? Just abandon the Edge?"

Hiccup snapped the twig into half a dozen pieces. "No…Not abandon it, necessarily. I want to keep it as a Berkian outpost. We've put a lot of work into it, and it's a great place for our defenses. We can still use it for so many things, but I do think our constant presence, especially mine, is not doable any more. That's part of the reason I've been training a few new recruits. Maybe we can get a new group out there to keep an eye on things and keep trying to make connections for our village outside the Archipelago."

"You think Snotlout or Gustav or Fishlegs is ready to lead a group out there?" she asked incredulously.

Hiccup shook his head. "Not now, no. That's what the training is for. I want those guys to start doing more of the training and taking on more of the responsibility, and I want you to be the one to spearhead that."

Astrid blinked, stunned. "You want me to choose the next leader of the Dragon Riders?"

Hiccup rubbed the back of his neck. "Honestly? I think you would be an excellent choice for leading them, but if I have to be on Berk, I want you with me." Astrid gave him a blank look, and he bit his lip, stood up in a panic, and started wildly gesturing. "I mean, if you want to...that is. Stay with me. On Berk…I mean. It's not a…not a proposal…or anything. I just like having you…near?" He finished his spiel with a wince.

Astrid laughed and blushed. "No…I mean yes. Yes, I do want to be…near…near you, too." She stood up and gripped his hands in her own. "I spent years waiting for you to be mine, Hiccup. I followed you into battle, on explorations of every island in this Archipelago multiple times, and back again. When we ran out of places to explore and dragons to study, I decided to wait on you while defending Berk with the Berk Guard, and when you found the Dragon Eye and set out for the Edge, I followed, again. Hiccup, I want to be where you are, helping you do what you're doing. I'll stay on Berk, if you're staying on Berk, and if you want me to choose and train the next leader of the Riders, I'll do that, too. I want your input, though, because it's your position that you've honed for years," she finished, tapping him on the chest.

Hiccup smiled pulled her into a hug. "I promise I won't leave you to it alone, and it's not something that has be done right away. I think we've got plenty of time to make it a gradual change, but it's a change that we are going to have to make."

She pulled him back down to their spot beside the log. He sat down beside her, and she started combing through his hair, unbraiding it and trying to make less mussed. "Who do you think would make a good replacement?" she asked as she twisted a piece of his hair into a new braid.

Hiccup smoothed the dirt under his palm. "If not you, then I've actually always thought that Snotlout could be a good choice – if he got some proper training and was willing to listen to actual instructions."

Astrid began on a second braid. "But he's Snotlout," she reminded him.

Hiccup laughed and began to doodle in his dirt. "I know, but he's been surprisingly helpful and good at leading some here lately. I think he could prove to be a good leader in time. Like I said, lots of training – and a fair bit of trust from the rest of us."

"As much as I hate to admit it," she started as she tied off the braid, "I think you may be right." She caught Hiccup's crooked grin and kissed his cheek. The sun was starting to set in the distance, and she knew Stoick would be looking for Hiccup to help him do a final check of the village. Not to mention, she had her own chores to attend to, including cleaning up and locking the Academy. "We should be getting back soon," she reminded him.

Hiccup looked up at the sky and sighed. "Yeah, I suppose so." He turned and looked at her, then. "I'm glad we got to get away for a bit."

She leaned against him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and pressing her cheek to his shoulder. "Me, too," she agreed.

He kissed her brow, squeezed her middle, and buried his nose in her hair. They sat wrapped up together for several more minutes, watching the sun sink behind the trees. At last, Astrid felt Hiccup shift and together they stood and walked back to the beach and Toothless.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Thus, began the next season in the lives of the Dragon Riders. The move back to Berk was made a month later. Hiccup was finally able to leave his dad's side for a few days to get the whole project underway. A ship and crew had to be brought with them to get the bulk of the items back to Berk. Hiccup wasn't able to stay and conduct the whole thing, but he made the plans and left it all in the capable hands of Astrid to direct.

Snotlout was slowly integrated into training to be the next leader of the Riders. Hiccup gave him more and more tasks to oversee and stayed far enough back to let the shorter man make his own mistakes and figure out how to fix them. It was as much of a learning experience for Hiccup some days as it was Snotlout. Stoick found those days to be particularly funny and gleefully reminded Hiccup of some of his stumbles in leadership over the past few years, much to Hiccup's chagrin.

Hiccup and Stoick shared the duties of chief with Stoick slowly taking back more and more of the responsibilities as his health allowed. In Hiccup's free moments, he journeyed out, often alone or only with Astrid's company, to continue his map work. Free time was hard to come by, however. Stoick was determined to see his son properly prepared for the chiefdom. He openly spoke of his retirement plans and constantly hinted at marriage whenever Hiccup so much as mentioned Astrid's name. It was actually Astrid who finally told Hiccup to just tell his dad to draw up contracts and work out an agreement with Arvald, with the provision that the couple could decide when the actual wedding occurred. Everyone was happy enough with that plan, and three weeks later, the couple were officially engaged.

Small groups of Dragon Riders were sent out every couple of weeks to check on Dragon's Edge and maintain the place until a time came when it would permanently settled, again. Snotlout and Gustav were turning out to be far more responsible than anyone had first expected, and when they and the twins spent their first week out there without any major incidents and no other supervision, it almost led to another impromptu feast upon their return to Berk. While they didn't get a feast, they did get a beaming Hiccup and a surprise bonus gold coin each for their efforts.

Astrid began training with Spitelout in leading the Berk Guard. Hiccup had informed her that when he became chief, he wanted her to be the general of their warriors, and she had almost danced on the spot in her excitement. Fishlegs was told he would be head of the Dragon Academy and promptly began preparations. He wrote up formal academic lessons and training regimens to be followed in the future, and the twins were elevated to senior Dragon Rider status, giving them the opportunity to assist in teaching a few classes, especially anything to do with explosions, and coaching Riders in Dragon Racing.

Life was changing, and six months later when the original Dragon Riders worked as a team on the battlefield one last time, facing off against Drago's army, they found they were more thankful than they could ever express for the opportunity they had to be at home and be the trainees a final time before they suddenly became the new leaders of Berk.

 **HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE HTTYD RTTE**

Disclaimer: I do not own How To Train Your Dragon in any way, shape, or form.

A/N: Thank you for reading. I hope you liked it.


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